


The Curse of Crazy Crewute

by ismycapsloudenoughforyou



Category: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, WHY WASN'T PENNY HELPING WITH THE BLACK QUILL, i name drop characters a lot, including the christmas quests in the main plot, jumps off the beaten track in year 2 and just sorta, keeping coherent character continuities!, penny doesn't just go do something else after year 1 ends, pokes the major plot points on its way by, she's part of the team now you think she's just gonna sit by?? no, things dip in and out of the canon plot, tonks gets into the gang in year 2 bc jam city can't stop me, you could actually believe merula is invited to the weasleys' christmas bc jam city can't stop me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22286335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ismycapsloudenoughforyou/pseuds/ismycapsloudenoughforyou
Summary: Jennie Crewute can't go a week without getting into trouble. Her friends are always there to help her through, but sometimes she just can't protect them.And if she lets her friends get hurt. . . what kind of friend is she?ORAnother Hogwarts Mystery rewrite featuring: psychological effects, a hufflesquad, continuity, and mucking up canonveryquickly  (like in year 2 quickly)
Relationships: Player Character & Everyone, idk i'm only up to like year 3 so they're a bit young yet, maybe 5th year - Relationship
Comments: 15
Kudos: 11





	1. hell yea let's make some enemies yo

**Author's Note:**

> the motto of this is 'jam city can't stop me'. this was their creation in a way bc they made energy take 4 minutes to recharge and really what else were they expecting me to do.
> 
> some dialogue was taken directly from the game. any recognizable dialogue is not mine. this story follows the canon plotline with several large differences in character relations and moments
> 
> i wrote this story with the intention that even if you had never played the game you'd still be able to understand

Jennie Crewute didn’t even make it to the Sorting Ceremony before she was pegged as Jacob Crewute’s troublemaking little sister. The idea only cemented when she was sorted into Hufflepuff, same as he had been. If she was lucky there might be one or two teachers that didn’t look at her and see a carbon copy of her older brother.

Rowan Khanna didn’t seem to care about her family issues at all though, thank Merlin. When she stood up for Jennie in the Common Room on that first day, Jennie knew she’d found a real friend and vowed to hold on tight to this one. She found a way to return the favor the very next day, when a Slytherin named Merula Snyde was pestering Rowan, claiming to be the most powerful witch in Hogwarts.

Of course, in doing so she’d accidentally cemented herself as Merula Snyde’s arch-nemesis, something she only realized after the girl sabotaged her Cure for Boils potion in class and further cemented her on Professor Snape’s (s)hit list. Hurrah. Hogwarts was going to be harder than she thought.

“You’ve already lost Hufflepuff ten points?” their prefect, Jane Court, demanded. “How’d you manage that? We’re in fourth place now!”

“I stood up for Rowan, but the bully sabotaged my potion in retaliation. Snape didn’t really like that,” Jennie said.

Jane frowned. “You’d do well to call him Professor,” she scolded. “Considering what your brother did to Hufflepuff’s reputation, I should’ve kept a closer eye on you.”

“I’m sorry,” she said honestly. “I didn’t mean to make her mad, I just wanted to defend my friend. I didn’t know Merula would take it so personally.”

“Well, Professor Snape sent a letter to the Common Room for you. I suggest you read it immediately.”

“Why wouldn’t he just send it to me?”

“Probably because he despises you,” Jane said bluntly.

Jennie winced. “Yikes. Really got off on the wrong foot, didn’t I?”

“Professor Snape hates everyone. I wouldn’t take it personally.” Jane handed her the letter. She tore open the envelope and read it aloud.

“ _ Crewute, I have discovered evidence that your potion may have indeed been tampered with. While it does not prove your innocence, it does cast some doubt on my belief that you are hopelessly incompetent. Bring me a jar of Pickled Slugs from the Potions Storeroom, and I will consider restoring your House Points. Snape. _ ”

Jennie frowned. “Would he sign it like that?”

“What’s it matter?” Jane asked. “He’s offering to give us back the house points you lost! Hurry to the storeroom before he changes his mind!”

“Want me to go with you Jennie?” Rowan offered. “It’s the least I can do after you saved me from Merula.”

“Sure. You know your way around the castle better than anyone.”

“And I also know eight easy ways to identify Pickled Slugs!” she said happily. “We’ll have this done easy!”

“Not if you don’t leave you won’t!” Jane cried. “Hurry!”

Exchanging smirks, the girls made for the storeroom.

“Here’s where the letter said we should go,” Jennie said, stopping in front of the door.

“Funny, I thought the Potions Storeroom was in the Tapestry Corridor,” Rowan said, then shrugged. “I guess there’s multiple.”

“Well, time’s a-wastin.” Jennie shrugged. “I’d rather not return to the Common Room empty handed.”

“Jane seems pretty concerned with those House Points,” Rowan agreed. They stepped inside.

“Blimey, it’s dark,” Jennie squinted.

“Quick, cast the Wand-Lighting Charm.”

“ _ Lumos _ ,” she whispered, flicking her wand. “Why’d you close the door?”

“I didn’t, it just--” Rowan’s expression turned panicked. “ _ That’s Devil’s Snare! _ ”

“That’s right!” Merula’s voice filtered through the door. “Some fourth year Slytherins showed it to me when I first arrived. It’s sensitive to light. If you’re really better at the Wand-Lighting Charm than me, escaping should be no problem.”

Rowan heaved on the door handle. “It’s locked!” she cried.

“Merula open the door!” Jennie joined her in yanking on the door.

“No,” Merula said. “I told you things would only get worse for you. You should have never blamed me for your failure in Potions.”

“Maybe not, but that’s not going to stop me from scrawling  _ Merula did it  _ on the walls in my own blood,” Jennie huffed, releasing the door handle to stand defensively against the vines, which were beginning to lash at them.

“Well, ta, Crewute!” Merula sang. “Shame you had to drag Khanna into this, but getting two birds with a single stone is just fine by me. Goodbye!”

Rowan rattled the door, shouting Merula’s name like a swear word.

“I’ll fight the Devil’s Snare; you try to get help!” Jennie said, pointing her wand at the plant.

“Hey! We’re locked in here!” Rowan pounded on the door. “Get us out!”

It took several minutes (in which time Jennie nearly was choked out by the plant), but finally help arrived. “Outta the way!” a deep voice yelled. Rowan took a few steps back and the door burst open, slamming against the wall, as a huge figure stepped into the room. He did a visible double take at seeing them.

“Gulpin’ gargoyles, Hufflepuff! Get away from that Devil’s Snare, yer scarin’ it!”

“ _ I’m _ scaring  _ it _ ?” she choked. He took her by the shoulders and ripped her out of its clutches.

“You saved our lives,” Rowan said.

“Yeah, thank you, Mister. . .”

“Rubeus Hagrid,” he said grandly. “Keeper of the keys and groundskeeper here at Hogwarts.” He looked sideways at them. “How’d a pair of firs’ years like you end up in there?”

“A first year Slytherin named Merula Snyde locked us in,” Jennie said.

“She did?! What are ye goin’ ter do?”

She hadn’t thought that far. “I suppose I’ll tell my classmates,” she said, “so everyone knows she can’t be trusted.”

“Do yeh have proof?”

“Well, I have this fake letter from Snape telling me to come here, but I can’t prove she wrote it.”

“Slytherins are good at coverin’ their tracks,” Hagrid said wisely. “I’d head back to yer Common Room an’ take some time teh think. I don’t want yeh doin’ somethin’ yeh’ll regret.”

“I guess you’re right.” She didn’t like it, but without proof who would take her word over Merula’s, when her brother’s reputation precedes her? “Thanks again Hagrid.”

“One more thing-- yeh might want to do somethin’ about those robes. That Devil’s Snare got yeh good.”

Looking down, she saw he was right. Her new school robes had been practically torn to ribbons. “Yeah, good idea. Thanks. Hopefully we’ll meet again.”

“We certainly will, Miss. . .”

“Jennie,” she said, and then, more hesitantly, “Jennie Crewute.”

“Oh, Jacob’s sister, eh?”

She flushed very red. “Yes. And this is Rowan Khanna.” She tugged her friend up next to her.

“Well, yeh’d best be very careful indeed,” he said. “What with yer brother’s reputation!”

“I am, Hagrid, I swear. Scout’s honor.” She held up three fingers. “I’ll see you around, yeah?”

“O ‘course, Jennie.”

At least  _ he  _ didn’t seem to mind.

  
  


“You’re Jennie Crewute, right?”

“Would you believe me if I said no?” Jennie said tiredly. “Yeah, that’s me. And you?”

“Ben Copper,” the Gryffindor said, seeming anxious. “I’m a first year, like you. I just wanted to say thank you for standing up to Merula Snyde.”

“Who told you I did that?” She had a horrifying image of Merula complaining at the top of her lungs in the Great Hall.

“I was watching from the end of the corridor,” he admitted. “I’ve been following her so she can’t sneak up on me, and if she sees me, I’ll at least have a chance to run away.”

“Strange, but solid,” she said. “Why?”

“She tormented me the entire way here on the Hogwarts Express. She kept threatening me, and calling me a Mudblood.”

Jennie scowled. “That’s horrible!” She was struck with a very strong urge to punch Merula the next time she ran into her. As if the Devil’s Snare hadn’t been bad enough.

“Merula is obsessed with being the best witch in our year, and she thinks she has to impose her will on us to prove it,” Ben said miserably. “I’m just glad someone was brave enough to stand up to her. I’m certainly not. It’s a joke that I got put in Gryffindor.”

“Don’t say that,” Jennie frowned. “There are all kinds of bravery; standing up to bullies is just one kind.”

“But I don’t have  _ any _ kind. I’m afraid of everything. I come from a Muggle family, so all of this is new and scary to me.”

“Hey, that’s okay. I’m from a wizarding family and it’s a bit overwhelming for me too. Just give it a couple months and it’ll all be old hat, yeah? The teachers are good at helping first years settle in. Well,” she added, thinking of Snape, “most of them are. I’ll help you however I can too.”

“Thanks, Jennie,” he said, seeming relieved. “I’ll see you around.”

  
  


Merula accosted Jennie and Rowan while they were playing Gobstones in the courtyard, spouting some crap about Jennie’s brother. She didn’t believe it.  _ Jacob _ , working for  _ You-Know-Who _ ? Not the brother  _ she _ knew; never in a million years! She said as much, maybe a bit more harshly than she should have, because Merula got openly hostile and threatened a duel. Jennie knew enough to know that duelling wasn’t allowed on school grounds, and refused. Of course, Merula wasn’t one to back down.

“Merlin, she’s a pain.” Jennie groaned, rubbing her tailbone where she’d hit the ground after Merula’s  _ Flipendo _ .

“She’s never going to leave us alone, is she?”

“Of course not.” Jennie sighed. “She’s like a serial killer: doesn’t stop until she’s stopped.”

“So I guess we’ll need to stop her,” Rowan said.

“But unauthorized duelling is against the rules on school grounds, and there’s no way Merula’s going to play along if I try malicious compliance to get around it.” She rubbed her face. “And I don’t know any spells for duelling.”

“Well, Professor Flitwick’s a former duelling champion,” Rowan said, “and he  _ loves  _ you; you saw the way he looked at you when we learned Lumos.”

“I don’t want to abuse Flitwick’s trust like that.” She sighed again. “Maybe Jane will know a better way to resolve the conflict; she’s a prefect after all.”

Jane did  _ not _ know a better way to resolve it, as it turned out. Instead, she pointed them towards a secret duelling book hidden in the Artifact Room and sent them off to look for it.

“I’m getting flashbacks to the Devil’s Snare,” Rowan said, yanking the door open.

“I feel like if Jane wanted us dead she’d just do it herself,” Jennie said, following behind and casting the Wand-Lighting Charm. “Hufflepuffs don’t make plants do their dirty work.”

“Bummer,” Rowan said cheerfully, “we could’ve thrown Merula into a patch of Venomous Tentacula.”

“I’m not sure even Merula deserves that.” Jennie yanked open a cabinet.

“ _ Jennie. . . _ ”

She glanced back at Rowan, who was bent over chest deep in a pile of old trophies. “What?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you say my name?”

“No?” Rowan pulled back from the trophies.

“Hm,” she mused, “I swore I heard it.”

“Maybe someone in the corridor?”

“You could be right.” She shook her head. “Let’s just find the book and skedaddle; I’ve got a weird feeling.”

A few minutes later, Rowan cackled. “Found it!” She pulled it out from behind a plank of wood.

“Awesome, now Jane can teach us to duel!” Jennie cheered, and then stopped. “I shouldn’t be so excited to break rules.”

“Don’t think of it like breaking rules, think of it like learning new things.”

“Since when were you a troublemaker?”

Rowan grinned. “Since Merula started threatening my best friend.”

Jennie grinned back. “Let’s just get this back to--” she cried out, clutching her head and stumbling against a cabinet. It felt like her skull had split in half. Images flashed in her head,  _ a walking suit of armor, a staircase shrouded in mist, ice encasing Hogwarts, cracking as it spread faster and faster before her eyes _ \--

“ _ The ice is here, _ ” the voice said. “ _ The vault will open _ .”

“Jennie!”

She snapped back, hitting her head on the cupboard. Rowan was at her side. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“I saw something--” she gasped-- “in my mind.”

She told Rowan about the vision and the voice.

“I wonder if your brother had the same vision,” Rowan said.

“You don’t think I’m mad?”

“Of course not.” Rowan linked their arms. “Come on, let’s get some sleep. We’ve got a long week ahead of us.”


	2. i'll duel you. i'll duel anyone. put 'em up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jennie helps ben, and then she helps ben again, and then she does some snooping.
> 
> she's getting good at snooping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my sister was like 'they're eleven why are they swearing', forgetting, in her haste to criticize, that she taught me my first swear word when i was ten.
> 
> get out of here with that, zandra
> 
> i promise they don't swear much, but i'm just saying it's entirely plausible that jennie knows the f-word
> 
> like i said 'shit' for the first time when i was eleven come on

“Okay Ben,” she said, “ready for class?”

Ben looked even more anxious than when she’d started helping him learn to fly. “No.”

She sighed. They’d already tried reading up on famous flyers, getting his feet off the ground-- she only had a few, unconventional ideas left. “Well, I mean, I don’t know if this will work for you, but sometimes when I get really scared there’s this thing I like to say.”

“Like a spell?”

“Not quite. See, my cousin taught me. It goes like this: Fuck it.”

He furrowed his brow. “Aren’t we not supposed to say that?”

“Nope,” she said cheerfully, “but it does the trick!”

“But won’t we get in trouble?”

“Nothing serious. A teacher might tell us to watch our language, but it’s worth it. See, for me it just works a lot better than ‘I can do this’ just because there’s still that anxiety of like, what if I can’t?” She patted his shoulder. “I’m sure you get that. ‘Fuck it’ says, well, whether I succeed or don’t, fuck it, I’m going to try.”

“That does sound better,” he conceded. “I’d still rather I don’t fail, though.”

“Just try it,” she insisted. “Saying things aloud tricks your brain into believing it.”

“Okay,” he said, and pulled in a deep breath. “Fuck it.” He smiled a little for the first time since they’d started the endeavor. “Hey, that did kind of help.”

“Say it whenever you feel yourself getting antsy. Just a nice little,  _ fuck it _ , to yourself. You’ll nail this class in no time!”

“Thanks, Jennie,” Ben said. “I’ve got to get ready for class; I’ll see you there!”

He hurried off.

Rowan slipped up beside her. “Teaching poor Ben swear words already?”

“Well it worked, didn’t it?” Jennie grinned. “Just be glad I didn’t try teaching him a sea shanty. A solid one of those boys makes you feel like you can kill the Christian God.”

“Where were those when we fought the Devil’s Snare?” Rowan joked.

“They don’t really work as solos. Hit me up sometime, I’ll teach you.”

“Could be useful in the duel,” Rowan suggested.

Jennie snorted. “Merula goes ‘ _ flipendo _ ’ and I go ‘ _ help me Bob I’m bully in the alley _ ’.” She shook her head. “As if she needs more excuses to call me crazy. Nah, I’ll have to stick to the old fashioned way. I’ll pull out the shanties to get  _ real _ down and dirty.”

“Can’t wait to see it.”

  
  


“Mudbloods like you are a disgrace to this sch--”

“Merula, knock it off!”

The Slytherin looked rather smug seeing Jennie. “Well if it isn’t Crazy Crewute. Come to  _ attack _ me?”

“Stop picking on Ben,” Jennie said. Her hand gripped her wand inside her robes so hard her knuckles ached. “Stop picking on  _ all _ of us! We’re here to learn magic, not take part in your bizarre power trip. If anyone’s crazy here, it’s not me.”

Merula scowled at her. “Nobody could be more mad than  _ your _ family. Your  _ brother _ was expelled for putting the whole school in danger and being so obsessed with the Cursed Vaults.”

“You’ve attacked people in your obsession with being the most powerful, and don’t get me started on  _ your _ family, Merula.” Jennie narrowed her eyes. She didn’t want to bring it up in front of everyone; she refused to sink to the other’s level. “They aren’t exactly  _ pure as snow _ either.”

Merula stamped, seething. “What do  _ you _ know about my family, Crewute?”

“Let’s just say, I know they aren’t going to show up to a ‘parents day’ anytime soon.”

Merula lifted her wand. “I’ll make you  _ eat those words _ , Crewute!”

Jennie shifted her weight onto one hip, trying to seem unbothered without taking her hand off her wand. “I don’t want to duel you, Merula,” she said. “Just go away, just  _ leave it _ !”

“Too bad!  _ Flipendo! _ ”

Jennie was ready to dive out of the way but to her surprise, the spell shot past her right elbow. She was ready to taunt Merula for her aim when she heard something hit the ground, and turned to see Rowan lying on her back. “Rowan!”

“I’ve been wanting to do that since the Start-Of-Term Feast,” Merula said, smugly. “You’re next, Crewute!”

Oh,  _ now _ she was pissed. “I won’t let you hurt anyone else!” she shouted.

“ _ Flipendo! _ ” Merula cried, the spell slamming into Jennie and blasting her backwards, head over heels. “You’re pathetic, Crewute. You’re all talk.”

_ You’re gonna think ‘all talk’ _ . She didn’t even bother to get off the ground. “ _ Expelliarmus! _ ”

Merula’s wand shot out of her hand. She grabbed for it but fumbled and it landed on the ground a fair ways away. “No fair! How’d you learn that spell?”

“That was brilliant Jennie!” Rowan said.

“You can’t be better than me!” Merula fussed. “No one can be better than me!”

“I beat you, Merula,” Jennie said, still a bit breathless from hitting the ground, pulling herself gingerly to her feet. “Fair and square. Now apologize to Ben Copper, and to Rowan, and promise to stop bullying everyone!”

“I’ll never apologize to you losers and Mudbloods!” she hissed. “I’m Merula Snyde! Fourth generation Slytherin! The greatest witch at Hogwarts! I do what I want, when I want! I run this school! I--”

Whatever else she was going to say was cut off by Snape clearing his throat directly behind her. Merula jumped back, nearly running into Jennie in her haste to escape. “P-Professor Snape!”

“I suspect this is your fault, Crewute,” Snape drawled. “Are you aware of Hogwarts’s policy on unauthorised dueling?”

She placed one foot behind the other, looking down. “I am, sir.”

Flitwick looked up at her disapprovingly. “Did you cast the first spell in this duel, Miss Crewute?”

“No, Merula hit me with  _ Flipendo  _ first.”

“Miss Snyde cast the first spell, Professor Snape,” Flitwick said. “Miss Crewute was only defending herself.” Her heart warmed to see Flitwick defending her.

Snape glared at Flitwick. “And I wonder where she learned the Disarming Charm.” He turned his glare back on Jennie. “Clean yourself up and see me in the West Towers to face the consequences of your actions, Crewute.” His lip curled as he looked over her robes, covered in dirt and grass from her tumble on the courtyard stones. Merula looked smug until he turned to her. “You too, Miss Snyde.”

The two professors turned and went back to the castle. Merula waited until they’d gone inside to turn to Jennie. “This is all  _ your _ fault, Crewute,” she huffed, and then sprinted after them.

“Wow Jennie, you beat her!” Rowan enthused. “I mean  _ really  _ beat her!”

“Thank you for defending me,” Ben said, sounding miserable. “I wish I could have the courage to do that.”

“I just hope she stays down,” Jennie said heavily. “Nobody should  _ have  _ to have the courage to do that. Hogwarts is supposed to be a community.”

“Her parents were Death Eaters,” Rowan reminded her. “It’s hard to be a community with that sort of prejudice.”

“I guess so.” She sighed. “I just wish there were some way I could help Merula grow away from it. Dueling isn’t the right way to go; it’ll just cement me as her enemy. I don’t want that.”

“Jennie, she’s not really giving you a choice. If you don’t rise to the challenge she’ll just get worse.”

“I know.” She looked down at herself. “I’d better freshen up and meet Snape. I’ll see you guys in the Great Hall, if he doesn’t kill me first.”

  
  


“Hello, Jennie Crewute.”

She all but jumped back. “ _ Jeeeeezu-- _ ” She clutched her chest. “Merlin, where’ve you been hiding?”

The girl laughed and, looking up, Jennie’s heart fluttered to see Penny Haywood, the most popular girl in the year, standing in front of her.  _ Where’ve you been hiding indeed. _ “Nowhere. If you’d been paying attention. . .”

“Well you know me, dumb as a brick,” she said, falling into self deprecation with the push of the  _ pretty girl, panic! _ button in her brain.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Penny said. “You defeated Merula Snyde, after all.”

She blushed. “You heard about that? Already?”

“Word gets around fast at Hogwarts,” Penny said, looking pleased with herself. “And I happen to have ears in all the right places.”

“Proud of you,” she said automatically, and then blushed, realizing how that might have sounded. “Um-- did you want something?”

“I wanted to say thank you,” Penny said. “Hogwarts is supposed to be fun, but Merula was making it miserable for everyone. I especially appreciate how you immediately stepped in between Merula and Ben Copper to stop her bullying.”

Jennie rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, someone had to do something.”

“I agree, but only you were brave enough. I hope Professor Snape doesn’t punish you for it.”

“I hope so too,” she said. “At this rate I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t pitch me off the Astronomy Tower.”

Penny laughed. “I’ll have to brew you a Slow Fall potion, then.”

“He’d probably use me for target practice.”

“Invisibility serum?”

“And here I thought you were a Golden Girl.” She laughed. “Where’ve you needed to sneak to that you know how to brew invisibility serums, then?”

“Oh, around.” Penny grinned. “Maybe someday I’ll tell you. Until then, let me know if I can ever help you.”

“A potions master like you? Count on it,” Jennie said, half joking, but she toned down long enough to say, “Thanks, Penny.”

“Good luck with Professor Snape.” Penny made a gesture like a nudge, stopping herself before they touched. “I’ll see you around, yeah? Try not to get thrown off the tower.”

She winked. “Watch me.”

  
  


“I see you’ve finally decided to join us, Crewute,” Snape said stiffly. Merula smirked at her.

“Sorry I’m late, Professor,” she said, doing her best to pull into herself and look as abashed as possible.

“Now that you’re finally here, I can discuss your punishment.” He glared down at them. “Expulsion seems like the most logical option.”

“I had nothing to do with it, Professor!” Merula simpered. “I only defended myself when this mental case attacked me!”

“Everyone saw you cast the first spell, Miss Snyde,” he snapped. “This, however, does not excuse Crewute’s behavior.” He turned back to her. “Since you arrived, you have fought in the corridor, made a mess of my classroom, and duelled on school grounds.”

_ All of which were because of Merula _ , Jennie noted to herself. If she wanted to keep her nose clean the rest of her time at school, she’d have to patch things with Merula and fast.

“This, after the damage your  _ brother _ did to Hogwarts,” he continued. “Why shouldn’t you receive the harshest punishment for your actions?”

“Because I protected my friends,” she said honestly. “Merula was interfering with everyone’s experience at Hogwarts. I just wanted to keep everyone safe. Is that so wrong?”

Snape didn’t seem to like that answer. “Attacking a student with your wand is against school rules, of  _ course _ it’s wrong. Ten points from Hufflepuff.”

_ Oh no. Jane’s gonna give me hell _ . She could hear it now.

“As I said, expulsion is the logical punishment for duelling on school grounds. Unfortunately, our Headmaster is illogical, and believes that expulsion is unfair in this case.” And he did seem rather put out by the decision. “But hear this: If either of you are caught duelling on school grounds again, I can assure you that you will not be so fortunate.”

“Yes sir,” she said meekly. His lip curled, and no doubt he was about to take more points from Hufflepuff when the caretaker stomped up behind him.

“What is it, Mr Filch?” Snape sighed.

“You must come with me right away. It’s about the. . .  _ vaults _ .” He lowered his voice to a whisper with a pointed look at the two students.

Snape looked back at them. “Return to your Common Rooms.  _ Don’t _ let it happen again.”

He walked off rather quickly.

“They must be talking about the Cursed Vaults!” Merula said, and followed them. Without hesitation, Jennie took off behind her.

“Hang on, why do you care about the Vaults?” Jennie hissed. “You keep making fun of my brother for the same thing!”

“Shh! I’m trying to listen!”

“. . . else knows about this?” Snape was saying.

“Only me and Mrs Norris saw the ice, sir. Was going to report the incident to the Headmaster, I was.”

“I will inform Professor Dumbledore,” Snape said. “This may have to do with the Crewute situation.”

Filch got a strange, greedy look on his face. “Is it true that the vaults are so filled with gold and powerful prophecies and artifacts from before Hogwarts existed? And that’s why the Crewute boy lost his mind trying to find ‘em?”

Snape’s voice, if possible, grew even colder. “Don’t worry about what’s  _ inside  _ the vaults. Worry about keeping everyone  _ out _ . Lock this door and keep it guarded.”

“What’s he mean ‘Crewute situation’?” Jennie mumbled.

Merula rolled her eyes. “God, you’re so conceited. Who cares? This is another clue to the Cursed Vaults.”

“Since when were you trying to find the Cursed Vaults? Is making fun of my brother just a cover story?”

“No, I just hate you,” Merula said simply. “Although, it does make an excellent cover. Pity you’re not a Slytherin; we might’ve got along.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“No you’re right, I don’t.” She made a face. “I feel dirty just for saying it.”

“So  _ why _ are you interested in the Vaults?” Jennie pushed.

“Even if I cared to explain myself to an idiot like you, I wouldn’t do it here and risk getting caught by the two meanest people at Hogwarts.  _ I’m _ going back to my Common Room.” She flicked her hair and stalked away with a self satisfied air.

_ Fair enough _ . She was right. Jennie slipped out of the room.  _ I’ve got to talk to Ben and Rowan _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rowan's great. rowan's lovely. but like ben is jennie's friend too in this spot like why can't i include him in my cursed vault discussions? jam city let me discuss with ALL of my pals you horrible dictator
> 
> (don't get me _started_ on the black quill LET PENNY HELP ME DAMMIT SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT BEN TOO)
> 
> (side note i don't have a keyboard shortcut for the em dash so i used two hyphens bc nothing breaks my flow more than navigating six menus just to get one special character hope that's ok)


	3. don't tell me you're afraid of a little rule breaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more snooping, not enough ben, needs more rowan. 6/10

“You’re back!” Rowan cheered as she sat down at the table. “And you aren’t dead!”

“For a second there I was sure they’d be picking bits of me off the ground outside the Astronomy tower,” Jennie said, laughing. “But Professor Dumbledore thought we should get off easy.”

“Well thank Merlin for Dumbledore.”

“Where’s Ben?”

Rowan shrugged. “Went up to his Common Room. Said he was feeling a bit ill.”

“Oh.” Jennie frowned. “I’ll owl him that Snape let me off. I hope he hasn’t worried himself sick.”

“Well, you know Ben. Even with your magical swear words he’s still paranoid.”

“Maybe he should talk to someone about it,” she mused. “Somebody trained.”

“That might help,” Rowan agreed. “I might pick up some books on counselling while I’m in the library next.”

“It’ll be a good skill to have when you become the youngest Hogwarts Professor,” Jennie agreed. “But, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“Ooh, ominous.” Rowan leaned closer. “What is it?”

Jennie explained everything that had happened with Snape and Merula. “What do you think they mean the ‘Crewute situation’?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Rowan said. “First your brother went missing looking for the Vaults, and then the year you start Hogwarts, the Cursed Vaults become active again. You Crewutes seem to be closely linked to these things.”

Fear lanced through her. “You don’t think they know about my vision, do they?”

“How could they? I haven’t told anyone.”

She breathed out. “Okay. Good. For a second I-- okay, good.” She slumped into her seat and picked up a sandwich. “I’m just not sure what to do,” she said. “I was hoping for a nice calm year learning magic and making friends and now? Now I’m getting visions, and landed myself an arch-nemesis, and I’m sure Jane’s going to be on my back the second I step into the Common Room next--maybe even before--and now I might have a clue where my brother could have vanished to, but to follow it I’d have to break hundreds of school rules.”

“Well, I’m thinking that if we’re going to follow this trail, you’d best get a little comfortable with rulebreaking,” Rowan advised. “I say tonight, we examine that corridor. After curfew, you and me-- and maybe Ben, if he’s up for it.”

“If he’s ill, maybe it’s best to let him sit this one out,” Jennie said. “I don’t want him getting sicker.”

“You’re probably right.” Rowan sighed. “But he’s been getting so brave lately.”

“I know, right?” Jennie stared wistfully at her plate. “He mounted his broom today. Maybe tomorrow he’ll manage to get it off the ground!”

“Maybe we should learn  _ arresto momentum _ in case he faints,” Rowan said.

“I’m not sure Flitwick will teach me spells ever again,” Jennie said sheepishly. “Did you see the way he was looking at me?”

Rowan snickered, pitching her voice down. “ _ Miss Crewute, I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed _ .”

Jennie batted her arm. “Oh come on, is that supposed to be Flitwick?”

“Hey, I’m good with books, not impressions!” Rowan pushed her away, checking her watch. “How about 12:30 tonight? We’ll sneak out and be back anyone notices we’re gone!”

“Assuming Jane doesn’t kill me first? Yeah. Sounds great.”

  
  


“You know, I’m having second thoughts,” Rowan hissed.

“Well we’re already here,” Jennie hissed back. “We might as well look around; if we get caught now we’ll get in trouble regardless so we might as well get what we came for.”

“I guess you’re right.” Rowan looked around nervously. “Let’s just make this quick.”

“Well, it’s an empty corridor.” Jennie pushed a few curtains aside. “The only thing that’s really here is the door.”

Rowan tugged on the handle. “And it’s locked,” she sighed. “I’m starting to really hate locked doors.”

“Weren’t we supposed to learn the Unlocking Charm this week sometime?”

“You think you can convince Flitwick to teach you spells now?”

Jennie sighed. “I have to try, don’t I?”

“He likes you,” Rowan said. “You’re a great Charms student. I’m sure if you explain things it’ll be fine.”

“God I hope so--” She froze. “Did you hear that?”

Rowan jumped back from the door, both of them turning to the low sound of footsteps. A shaggy cat stood before them, the hairs on its back raising as it hissed at them.

“Filch’s cat!” Rowan hissed in pure horror.

“His what?!”

“She tells on students who are misbehaving!” Rowan seized her arm. “We’ve got to go,  _ now _ !”

The cat hissed again, streaking away down the corridor. The girls turned and ran for it.

“That was  _ too _ close,” Rowan said, chest heaving as they made it back through the barrels into the Common Room. “We’ve got to have a better plan next time.”

“You still want to go with me?” she asked.

“Of course I do! I want to know what’s going on as much as you. And you’re my friend.” Rowan nudged her side. “I’m not going to let you do this alone.”

Jennie’s heart swelled with appreciation for this crazy friend of hers. “But if we get caught, you’ll get it trouble. It might hurt your chances of being the youngest professor at Hogwarts.”

Rowan scoffed. “Ye of little faith,” she said. “I don’t think a little trouble could ruin things. Besides, we’ll be careful.” She leaned against one of the armchairs. “We’ll need a Sleeping Draught for Mrs. Norris,” she listed, “and a distraction to keep Filch away, and we’ll need to learn the Unlocking Charm to get inside and the Knockback Jinx to help us escape.” She sighed. “But there’s no way Snape will teach us to brew a Sleeping Draught.”

“He’s more likely to skin me alive if I ask,” Jennie agreed. “I’ll be expelled before you can say ‘ouch’.” A smirk found its way on her face. “But I think I know the perfect girl to ask.”

“Who?”

“Penny Haywood.”

“You know Penny Haywood?!”

“Rowan she’s in our  _ dorm _ , of course I know her.”

Rowan brushed her teasing away. “Well yeah, but like, you know her on a level where you’d ask her to help you with this?”

“She offered to help me after I duelled Merula, and she’s the best at brewing potions in our year.”

“And you’re sure you can trust her on this?”

“Of course.”

Rowan checked her watch. “Well, I suppose we can flesh out all the details tomorrow. But, one more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Who else do you want to bring? Besides us two.”

She considered that. “I’ll ask Ben if he wants to go, for sure. And if Penny wants to come, her too. The more the merrier, right?”

“The more likely we’ll get caught,” Rowan said.

“The more likely we’ll have someone who knows the solution to any problem we face,” Jennie corrected. “Come on, negative nuts, it’s time for bed.”

“ _ Negative nuts? _ ”

“Bed!”

  
  


She couldn’t say she was surprised when Flitwick told her she was “excused” from their lesson on the Knockback Jinx.

“This Charm is often used in duelling,” he said, “and can cause great harm to one’s opponent. Given your history, I think it’s best you not take part in this lesson.”

She sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry; I just wanted to learn all I could. I was really hoping to just know it and never have to use it, but you’re right. It’d be better if I don’t have the temptation.”

His face softened slightly. “Well, that display of humility suggests you have learned your lesson. Take your seat, Miss Crewute.”

She felt her heart stop and kickstart in the same instant. “Thank you, Professor,” she said, and made for her seat before he could change his mind. Rowan leaned in, grinning.

“See? I told you there was nothing to worry about.”

Jennie nudged her with her elbow, having trouble containing her own grin. “Shh! I don’t want to make him regret this!”

She put extra effort into her classwork that lesson, managing to nail her cast on the third try. Flitwick beamed and gave five points to Hufflepuff. She left Charms with a feeling like she was floating.

“Careful where you point that,” Rowan joked as they made their way to the dungeons.

“Point what?”

“That good mood of yours.”

“You’re right,” Jennie said seriously. “I forgot, Snape’s allergic to joy.”

Rowan snickered into her fist. “Stop it, he’ll hear you!”

“What’s he gonna do, take more points? Throw an Herbicide Potion in my eyes? Bold of him to assume I fear death.”

Truthfully she agreed with Rowan, but since they were some three floors away from the Potions classroom she felt quite confident that nobody would care (and in that instance, she was right).

She apologized to Snape for duelling, again, to be very strongly rebuffed and sent to her seat. Rowan made a face at his back.

“When I’m a professor, I definitely won’t act like that,” she whispered under the noise of the students setting up their cauldrons.

“If that’s the bar for entry, it’s so low you could trip on it.”

During the lecture, Merula seized her arm and dragged her aside. “Did you tell anyone about what we saw in the corridor?” she hissed.

“Yeah, I told Rowan.”

Merula rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised. Whatever, that know-it-all bookworm is useless anyway; she won’t ruin my chances of getting inside of that room.”

Jennie scowled. “Don’t talk about my friend like that.” Merula just chortled. She started to walk away, but Jennie pulled her back. “And why are you so interested in the vaults anyway?”

“Mind your own business.” Merula sneered.

“This  _ is _ my business,” she hissed. “This may be the first lead I’ve had on my brother since he disappeared.  _ He  _ searched for the Cursed Vaults--”

“And he failed, because you come from a family of failures,” Merula said loftily. “Now shut up and pretend to take notes before we get caught.”

Even though she was ticked at Merula over her comment on Rowan, she still helped her when she made a mistake on her Herbicide Potion. Merula snapped at her for that too, but at least she got ten house points for it. Thanks, Snape. Maybe he isn’t a complete jerk  _ all _ the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EVERYONE CAN ENGAGE THE ROOM BECAUSE JAM CITY CAN'T STOP ME, DAMMIT. 
> 
> WHY CAN'T I TAKE THEM BOTH, JAM CITY? SAFETY IN _**NUMBERS**_ , JAM CITY. **THEY'RE BOTH MY _FRIENDS_ , JAM CITY.**


	4. roll charisma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a chess match, a name drop, and a conversation with BENNY BOY
> 
> ...i'll be real with you it's just preparing for the vault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the idle animations in the 'Help Dumbledore with Christmas' thing was Rowan cheating at chess behind MC's back, and I immediately had a few things I needed Jennie to say.
> 
> And Bill was also there and I was like !!!!!
> 
> chekov's gun my bros

She and Rowan were engaged in a chess match. Tensions were high. Penny was snickering under her breath every time Jennie made a move and Rowan was looking pretty smug.

“You know, this is psychological warfare and I won’t stand for it,” Jennie said after Penny had to turn her head away in an attempt to hide how hard she was laughing.

“You and I both know the only reason you win at Gobstones is because you distract me,” Rowan said. “It’s only fair.”

Jennie stuck her tongue out. “Queen to e2, please, and  _ check _ , you cheater.”

“You haven’t seen cheating yet.” Rowan pondered over the chess board, then looked up. “Hiya Ben!”

Jennie twisted around to see Ben hovering by her shoulder, inspecting the chess board. “Hey Ben.”

“Hi Jennie.” His eyes flicked past her to Rowan and she turned back around to catch the tail end of a meaningful stare.

“Hey now Rowan, you’ve got an extra pawn out there,” she said, inspecting the board. “Is this academic misconduct I sense?”

“Of course not!” Rowan said, acting affronted. Jennie’s pieces jumped up and down furiously, pointing at the intruder to the board.

Jennie shook her head, taking the piece off again. “And from the future youngest professor at Hogwarts too, I don’t believe it! And you even got Penny Haywood to cover for you, truly everyone has turned on me! I’ve never felt so attacked.” She reached behind her and patted Ben’s arm absently. “Not you, Benny Boy; you’re the only one I can trust.”

“Thanks Jennie.”

“Pull up a bit of bench,” she invited, “I need somebody that won’t just make fun of me.”

“But I’m not a Hufflepuff,” he said anxiously.

“I don’t think anyone will care,” Rowan said.

“And if they do, I’ll shame them into shutting up!” Jennie said cheerfully.

Penny leaned across the table to Rowan. “Are we sure she’s not a Slytherin?”

Rowan made a show of looking her over. “Well, her tie isn’t green, so. Yes?”

Jennie rolled her eyes. “Your move, then, if you’re done teasing,” she said. “We all know if I were a Slytherin Merula and I would’ve killed each other already.”

“Don’t say that,” Ben said miserably.

“Sorry Ben.”

Rowan rubbed her chin. “Um. . . bishop to f7.”

“You’re in  _ check _ Rowan.”

“Oh yeah.”

Penny set the Christmas Cracker she was making on the table, leaning in. “Try--”

“ _ Whose side are you on, Penelope _ .”

She leaned back again, lifting her hands and laughing. “Fine, fine.”

The Gryffindor who’d been making Christmas Crackers with them passed by at that moment, and leaned over Rowan’s shoulder. “Move your pawn, f3.”

“Thanks!” Rowan called after him as he continued on down the Great Hall.

“ _ Collusion? _ ” Jennie cried dramatically. “I don’t believe it!” She heard him laugh. She lowered her voice to ask, “Who is that, by the by?”

“Bill Weasley,” Penny said, “two years above us, super smart.”

“One of the most popular boys in school,” Rowan said in a conspiratorial tone, “and one of the most powerful wizards in his year! He’s sure to be a Prefect  _ and  _ Head Boy.”

“Maybe you should ask him for advice sometime,” Jennie said, surveying the board. “ _ Since he’s already helping you cheat at chess!” _

Penny snickered. “Weren’t you _ just _ bragging that you were the best at Wizard Chess?”

“I said I creamed my brother every time we played,” Jennie corrected. “But I got a bit rusty. Queen to f3, please. Checkmate.”

“Oh come on!”

Ben looked at her as they fixed the pieces and replaced them on the board. “If you knew you were going to win, why did you complain so much?”

“The drama, mostly.” Jennie grinned. “Rowan can’t out-psych me.”

“I’ll win the next one,” Rowan said, setting her last piece back on the board.

“Sure you will.”

  
  


Flitwick had no reservations about teaching her the Unlocking Charm. She thanked her lucky stars for that one; getting into the room would’ve been sort of difficult. But, she supposed, if Rowan learned the spell it wouldn’t really be a problem. Either way, she was happy to add the spell to her arsenal. The more tools she had, the easier this would be.

Penny was waiting in the Potions classroom.

“Well, if it isn’t the hero of Hogwarts?”

Jennie blushed. “Hey, cut that out. Thanks for agreeing to help me brew a Sleeping Draught.”

“My pleasure.” Penny smiled. “People always come to me for my gossip, so it’s refreshing when someone recognizes my skill with potions.” She grew serious. “But why do you need me to help you brew a Sleeping Draught?”

“It’s for Mrs Norris,” Jennie said offhandedly. “She’s guarding a room I want to enter so I need her to take a little nap.”

Penny laughed. “ ‘Little nap’, are you a member of the mob?”

“That’s between me and the mob,” Jennie said loftily.

“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” Penny shoved the cauldron towards her. “Come on, time to learn a thing or two.”

Later, in the Great Hall, she met up with Rowan again. “So, how’d it go?”

“She said I was impressive,” Jennie said, practically preening.

“ _ No _ , silly, I mean the potion. Did you get it?”

“Of course I did.  _ And _ she said it was impressive.”

Rowan rolled her eyes. “Well, I suppose that’s good. Did you tell her why you needed it?”

“Part of it. I told her who I wanted to use it on.”

“And did you ask her if she’d help us?”

“I sure did.”

Rowan looked like she was debating on the merits of smacking her. “And?!”

“And she agreed.”

“Seriously? She’s coming with us?”

“Yeah. And she said she’d keep it under wraps.” Jennie couldn’t stop beaming. “Isn’t that amazing?”

“I can’t believe you managed to convince her.”

“It wasn’t that hard. Not often people ask her to go on ‘death-defying adventures’.” Jennie grinned. “Her words. Maybe that chess game ‘round Christmas convinced her of my strategic genius.”

“More like your exaggeration.” Rowan nudged her side. “Now you just have to convince Ben.”

Jennie flinched. “Now  _ that _ might be a little harder.”

“Probably best if you do it sooner rather than later.” Rowan patted her shoulder sympathetically. “We don’t have long left in the year.”

“Yeah, I know.” She sighed. “I mean, Ben’s like my second friend ever; I can’t leave him out of something this big. But. . . I feel awful asking him to do something this dangerous while he’s still not used to the wizarding world.”

“Come on, it’s Hogwarts. How dangerous could it be? They would have closed down the school if they thought it was that bad,” Rowan reasoned.

“I guess you’re right. I’ll have to save that for when I talk to Ben.”

“Oi, at least give me credit!”

“Look pal, I’m doing all the heavy lifting here,” Jennie teased. “You want credit you gotta come with me.”

“Absolutely not, you know my thing is research, not people.” Rowan shook her head. “How you’ve stuck with me this whole year is honestly a mystery.”

“Hey, I should be the one saying that. You’re the one hanging out with Crazy Crewute.” She rubbed an elbow, suddenly feeling inadequate. “I mean-- this Vault stuff made my brother disappear. You’re sure you want to tangle with this?”

“Of course,” Rowan said, and Jennie felt her heart swell because there wasn’t a bit of hesitation. “You’re my friend, Jennie, and besides, how could I turn down an opportunity like this? There’s all kinds of new knowledge here. Nobody knows anything about the Vaults or what’s in them.”

Jennie laughed. “You’re sure you shouldn’t be a Ravenclaw?”

Rowan smiled sheepishly. “Well, the hat said I should, but I couldn’t leave you alone.”

“Hufflepuff loyalty. I think it made the right choice.” Jennie leaned into her side, resting her head on her shoulder.

Rowan rested her head on Jennie’s. “Me too.”

  
  


“Hey, Benny Boy!” Jennie chirped. “Good to see you!”

“Hey Jennie,” Ben said shyly. “Rowan said you wanted to talk to me?”

“Yeah, we actually need your help with something.”

“I owe you for saving me from Merula. As long as it isn’t anything too dangerous. . .”

“First of all, you don’t owe me anything for that,” Jennie said. “And second. . . I’ll be honest Ben, it might be crazy dangerous. See, we think we have a solid lead on the Cursed Vaults.” And she explained her vision, and the conversation she’d overheard in the corridor, and their plan to break into the room.

“That does sound dangerous,” Ben said miserably. “You’re sure I’m the right person to ask?”

“Of course I am. I’ve seen you in Charms, Ben, you beat me most of the time. I almost thought I was hot stuff for casting  _ Lumos _ first, but you know how much Flitwick gushes. Honestly, he basically falls over every time you wave your wand; he  _ loves _ you.”

Ben blushed. “It’s not that impressive,” he said.

“And in Flying Class. You’re terrified of it, but you still go, and you try your best, which is like, crazy brave.”

“It’s not brave,” he said. “I’m just a coward. Nobody else has problems with it.”

“But that’s why you’re brave, Ben! You’re terrified and you do it anyway. It’s not impressive when everyone else does it, because they were never scared in the first place. Know what I mean?” Even his ears were turning red now, so she pressed on. “There’s a lot standing between us and whatever’s on the other side of that door, and I’d feel a whole lot better to have you there with us.”

“. . . Okay. I’ll do it,” he said. “But I don’t promise I won’t flee at the first sight of Mrs Norris.”

“I mean hey, that just means you’re the smartest one there,” Jennie joked.

“Who else is coming?”

“Rowan Khanna and Penny Haywood.”

He visibly startled. “Penny Haywood?”

“I know, it’s  _ insane _ . She helped me brew a Sleeping Draught and I just asked her if she wanted to join.” Jennie grinned. “I said the Christmas chess match convinced her but Rowan thinks that’s a bunch of bologna.”

“Well I’m sure it didn’t hurt.” He stared into the table. “I’ll brush up on my spellwork. Let me know when you’re ready to go.”

“I will. Thank you, Ben.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all thanks for ur comments tbh i didn't honestly expect any? honestly it was a shot in the dark for anyone to read it at all so the fact that there are like real actual people here is already like shocking
> 
> if y'all want a double update today i'm happy to provide, just lmk (since like,,, nothing really happened this chapter)
> 
> i'll be straight with you i wrote all these bits in quick succession and inserted the chapter breaks in post so some of them are a bit funky up until like chapter 10 or so.


	5. the first of many (and the end of the first)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the hufflesquad + benny boi take on the locked room
> 
> and merula's there too i guess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY Y'ALL DUMBLEDORE SAID SOMETHING THAT GOT ME THINKING, WHAT IF I THREW JAE IN EARLY BC JAM CITY CAN'T STOP ME???

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Ben said.

“Me either! This is so exciting,” Penny said, all but bouncing in place.

“Exciting isn’t the word I would use.”

“Well, as long as your adrenaline’s pumping,” Jennie said. “Rowan, you have the potion?”

“Yup.” Rowan produced the vial. “I mixed it with milk so Mrs Norris would drink it.” She grinned, pulling a small bowl out of her pocket. “I even brought her a little saucer.”

“Brilliant.” Jennie grinned. “Time for a little cat nap, yeah?”

“That’s almost worse than Mrs Norris,” Ben said.

“Well now I just feel insulted.”

Rowan slipped into the corridor, returning a moment later. “It worked!” she whispered. “If this Cursed Vault thing doesn’t work out, we should consider a career in burglary.”

“Don’t encourage me,” Jennie whispered.

“Quick, let’s get the door open before we get busted!” Penny said.

Ben made a fearful noise as they crossed the threshold into the forbidden corridor. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Do you want to keep watch, Ben?” Jennie asked. “Make sure nothing comes of that feeling?”

“I suppose,” he said. “But don’t take too long.”

They left Ben at the entrance, moving down the corridor to the door. Jennie flicked her wand. “ _ Alohomora _ !”

“ _ Flipendo! _ ” a voice cried.

Penny blew backward into the wall. Jennie jumped, spinning around as a second spell flew past her ear, slamming into Rowan. “ _ Merula _ .” She glared. “You can’t keep out of my business for two seconds?”

“You got into  _ my _ business,” Merula said. “I’ve been trying to get into that room since I started school. Who knew all I had to do was wait for you to do it for me?”

“Oh, great. None of the work and all the glory. How very Slytherin of you.”

Merula preened. “Thank you.”

Well, she’d meant it as an insult but even she could see it wasn’t a good one. She moved on. “If you think I’m just going to sit here and take it, you’ve got another thing coming,” she snarled.

“Good thing  _ I’ve _ come prepared for that.  _ Flipendo _ !”

Jennie slammed into the door, back first, her head knocking against the frame. A blurry Merula silhouette smirked at her, stalking past. “There could be a Cursed Vault in there, and no one’s getting into the Cursed Vaults before me.”

She entered the room, closing the door behind her.

“Oh my God,” Ben’s voice rang out, “are you guys okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jennie said, ignoring the strange warm sensation on the back of her head. “Rowan?”

“I’m good. She missed; I just pretended she hit me so she wouldn’t try again.”

“Smart. Penny?”

“I landed in the window curtains,” she said. “I’m okay.”

“Sorry I didn’t help,” Ben said. “She must’ve come through before I started watching. I only noticed she was here when she started jinxing everyone, and then--” he shuddered.

“That’s okay Ben,” Penny said. “You tried.”

“What are we going to do?” Rowan asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jennie seized the handle. “We go through the door!”

And she yanked it open.

“Oh this is too good,” Rowan laughed.

Merula glared at her, stuck waist deep in an ice crystal. “The ice st-stuck m-me t-to the f-floor and k-keeps sp-spreading over me!” she snapped, visibly shaking.

“It’s the same ice from my vision,” Jennie said, almost awed.

“It’s spreading over the door too!” Merula hissed. “Get m-me out of this ice b-before I j-jinx you!”

“Been there, done that,” Rowan said.

“Rowan, not the time!” Jennie drew her wand.

Ben yelped. “Jennie, the door!”

Whipping around, she was shocked to find a cluster of ice crystals had already completely covered their exit. The only thing sticking out was the door handle.

“Alright, Merula’s in here with us, so who closed the door this time?” Jennie asked, making a poor attempt at a joke.

“I did; I thought it’d buy us time if Professor Snape came back,” Penny said.

“Ice shouldn’t grow that fast,” Rowan said, stepping forward for a closer look. “It’s not natural--”

She yelped as the still-growing ice coated her feet. “Whoa! That’s not--”

Within mere seconds she was buried up to her knees in ice crystals.

“Idiot,” Merula sneered. “We already knew it was from a Cursed Vault, of  _ course _ it’s not natural.”

“Merula now isn’t the time for that either,” Jennie snapped. “Ben, with me! Penny, get Merula.” She flicked her wand. “ _ Flipendo _ !”

The ice flaked away in chunks but it was still growing. She huffed. “Oh come on!”

“ _ F-flipendo! _ ” Ben flicked his wand. The ice exploded into pieces. Jennie seized Rowan by the elbows and yanked her away.

“Th-thanks Ben!” Rowan said, shivering.

“You okay Rowan?”

“Fine.” Rowan shook herself. “Let’s just break the door and get out of here.”

“Penny, how’re you doing?” Jennie asked.

“Almost got it!” Penny called. “Ben, want to work your magic over here too?”

“Are we sure we should help her?” Rowan asked, shaking her head. “I mean, she’s made our lives hell for the past year.”

“Rowan, come on,” Jennie chided. “Just because she’s a prick doesn’t mean we have to be.”

Rowan sighed. “You’re right.”

“ _ Flipendo _ !” Ben said, flicking his wand. The ice around Merula’s legs exploded into bits, and the force of the cast knocked Merula to the ground. Ben went white. “Oops.”

“Oww. . .” Merula whined, rubbing her back.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Rowan said.

“Come on, we have to get out of here.” Jennie turned her attention to the door. “On three, everyone cast  _ flipendo _ on the ice. Ready?”

She counted them up and they blasted the ice.

“It’s still not enough!” Rowan cried.

“This stuff must be hardier than the others.” Jennie glared the door down, trying to think. “It’ll grow back as fast as we can break it, at this rate.”

“What do we do?” Ben asked.

“I have an idea,” Penny said, determined. She pulled a bottle from her cloak. “Let’s see if I really know how to brew a Strengthening Solution.”

In one motion she downed the whole thing. Jennie exchanged a look with Rowan, impressed. She hadn’t gagged once.

“Alright. Everyone stand back!” Penny rolled up her sleeves and seized the door handle, still barely visible from under the ice. They took a few steps back as with a mighty pull, Penny heaved the huge door open, breaking all the remaining ice.

“It worked!” Rowan cheered.

“You did it, Penny!” Jennie beamed.

“Not bad, huh?” Penny grinned in a self satisfied sort of way.

“Whatever,” Merula said.

“That was brilliant,” Ben said. “Now let’s get out of here before it all grows back.”

As they made for the door, Jennie stopped, something catching her eye. “Wait, what’s that?”

Rowan rubbed her chin. “Looks like it’s a kind of coded message.”

“Was that there before?”

“Not that I saw,” Penny said.

“I wish I had something to write it down,” Jennie mumbled.

“No need,” Rowan said. “I already have it memorized. Now let’s get out of here!”

“You’re a miracle worker, Rowan.”

They ran for it.

  
  


“That didn’t look like how I imagined a Cursed Vault,” Ben said at dinner the next day, when they finally got a chance to talk. “It was. . . much less terrifying than I imagined.”

“It didn’t really pan out how I was expecting,” Jennie said.

“But that ice was definitely cursed,” Rowan mused. “Maybe it’s protecting a vault, or somehow escaping from one?” She shook her head, picking up a sandwich. “Either way, it seems like Jennie’s vision was some sort of prophecy. If the ice is spreading, it could eventually encase all of Hogwarts.”

“Oh no.” Ben sighed.

“Those runes could give us a clue as to what’s going on. I’ll take a look at them over the vacation,” Rowan said. “I won’t have much time before then; it’s exam season.”

Penny dropped into a seat next to them. “Look out, guys. Seems like everyone knows what we were up to last night.”

Jennie’s heart stopped. “What? How?”

“Nothing stays secret in Hogwarts for long,” Penny said. “Believe me, I know.”

“How much do they know?”

“Enough for us to get in trouble.”

“Indeed,” Jane said, and Jennie jumped at seeing her frowning down on their little group. “Jennie, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you. Right away, if you please.”

Jennie exchanged a worried look with her friends, and then got up. “Alright. Lead the way.”

“So, is it true that you entered a forbidden corridor with those three and Merula Snyde?” Jane asked as they walked.

“Well, technically I didn’t want to do it with Merula. She just sort of showed up and ruined it. But,” she added, seeing Jane’s expression, “yes. I did. I- I thought the corridor held some kind of clue to the Cursed Vaults. I was hoping I could find my brother.”

Jane sighed. “I understand why you did it, but you have to realize that you represent all of Hufflepuff. Rulebreaking like this reflects negatively on all of us.”

“I know,” Jennie said softly, staring at her feet. “I’m sorry, Jane.”

“It’s not me you need to apologize to,” she said, stopping at the entrance to the courtyard. “Go on.”

Suddenly understanding what Ben must feel before a Flying Class, Jennie squared her shoulders and went into the courtyard.

Professor Dumbledore was standing under an archway a short distance away, staring at the stars. He looked down at her as she nervously approached. “Thank you for meeting with me, Jennie.”

“Of course, Professor Dumbledore,” she said nervously. “I--”

He returned his gaze to the sky. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Sir?”

“The quiet night, the crisp air--it truly puts your troubles into perspective, doesn’t it?”

Jennie stared into the sky, marvelling at just how many stars there were. “I suppose it does,” she said quietly.

“I oftentimes come here when I need to make an important decision.”

Her heart sank. That decision, no doubt, was whether or not to expel her. “My prefect said you wanted to talk to me about everything I’ve done wrong this year,” she said.

He looked back to her, a slight crinkle in the corners of his eyes, like he was smiling, though his lips didn’t change. “You are expecting a lecture, but I feel as though you are the one who needs to speak.”

“Why was my brother expelled?” she asked in a rush, almost afraid that if she didn’t say it quickly she’d never say it at all. “He refused to talk about it before he disappeared and I just  _ know _ my parents knew, but they didn’t tell me either, and I just--” She shook her head, unsure how to finish the thought.

“That is a long and complicated story, Jennie,” Dumbledore said. “I was intrigued by your brother, but he gave me no option. Even I don’t know what led to his fall.”

“His fall?”

“Something tells me you’ll learn more in the coming years at Hogwarts.”

She was about to press on his vague answer, when the implications of the statement struck her. “You mean I’m not expelled?”

“You made many, many mistakes this year, Jennie,” Dumbledore said gravely, “but you have also demonstrated bravery, resourcefulness, and compassion. You show great promise.” He smiled, now. “All things considered, I think you’ve earned a hundred house points for Hufflepuff.”

Her heart leapt; a hundred points would put them in first! “Thank you, Professor Dumbledore.”

“In the years to come, you must be mindful of how your decisions affect others,” Dumbledore warned. “Remember, Jennie, it is not our abilities that show what we truly are; it is our choices.” He smiled at her again. “Good luck on your exams.”

“Thank you sir,” she managed, and then she left him standing there in the courtyard, staring up at the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact since i did year 1 while they had the christmas skins on everything, the whole courtyard scene took place staring up at some clouds. very brilliant, dumbledore. i watched a youtube playthrough to know what i was supposed to be seeing.
> 
> as a side note, i'm taking the writing on year 3 a bit slower, mostly bc i don't remember as many spoilers for it and i want to make sure i know all the implications of each event before i write it / skip it (like which parts are just money hungry filler parts and which parts contain hints i'll need to find a place for in order for later story beats to make sense) so yeehaw on that front
> 
> still got quite the backlog of year 2 chapters though, including the christmas quest "Christmas at Hogwarts" so no worries. see you in a week or so. love you <3


	6. man i never liked where's waldo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they didn't hardly make it onto the train before things went south. nobody knows where ben is.
> 
> (and jennie's self control has similarly vanished)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey pals, welcome to year 2! this year's gonna last about 7 chapters (including the christmas quest Christmas at Hogwarts), so prepare yourselves

“Penny!” Jennie shrieked, pelting across the platform. Penny turned, laughing, as Jennie slammed into her. “ _ Merlin _ I missed you!”

“I missed you too,” Penny said. “How were your holidays?”

“Incredibly dull, compared to last year.” Jennie laughed.

“Last year is quite hard to top,” Penny agreed. “I can’t wait to see what you get up to this year.”

“Hopefully nothing so dangerous as last year. I’m still holding out for a quiet year.” Jennie crossed her fingers with a cheeky grin.

“Have you seen Rowan or Ben yet?”

“Not yet. Maybe we should find a compartment and wait for them.”

“Good idea.” Penny turned to wave to the blonde woman standing a short distance away. “I’m going to find a compartment, mum.”

“Okay honey.” The woman--her mother--hugged her. Jennie watched the interaction with something like longing. “Owl me when you get there, okay?”

“I will.” Penny squeezed her mother, and then turned back to Jennie. “Did you already say goodbye to your parents?”

“Yeah,” Jennie said, quickly forcing a smile onto her face before it got awkward. “Come on, I’ll race you.”

She bounded onto the train.

Rowan knocked on the compartment door just before the train was about to leave. Jennie leapt to her feet, grinning like the madwoman people claimed she was, pulling her best friend into the compartment for a hug.

“I almost thought I’d miss the train,” Rowan laughed.

“You were cutting it pretty close,” Penny said. Jennie settled back into her seat. “Good to see you, Rowan.”

“You too.” Rowan stowed her things above the seats and settled in. “Did you two get up to anything fun this summer?”

“My mother taught me how to brew a few new potions,” Penny said.

“I finally read all the articles on my brother,” Jennie said. “It’s decidedly less fun than potion brewing.”

“I read everything I could find on the message we found in that room,” Rowan said. “ ‘The Ice Knight stands guard past the Vanished Stairs’.” She shook her head. “I swear, that message is going to be engraved on the back of my eyelids with how often I’ve stared at it.”

“The poor wizard doing your autopsy is going to think he’s cursed,” Jennie said.

“Well I certainly feel cursed, so it’s only fair,” Rowan quipped. “At any rate, I couldn’t find anything on an Ice Knight, but I tracked down all descriptions of staircases at Hogwarts that no longer seem to exist.”

“That’s brilliant, Rowan, those staircases could lead to a Cursed Vault!” Penny said.

“They could help me find my brother,” Jennie added.

“There are a hundred and forty two known staircases in the castle, though,” Rowan warned. “It could take us a while to search through them all.”

“That’s okay,” Penny said. “With four of us, we’ll be able to make it work.”

“Speaking of four,” Jennie said, “where’s Ben? The train left already; if he’s on board he should’ve found us already.”

“Maybe he’s just sitting with some of the Gryffindors,” Rowan reasoned. “I’m sure we’re not his only friends at Hogwarts.”

“Still,” Jennie said, uncomfortable. “You would’ve thought he’d have come down just to say ‘hi’, if nothing else. I mean, we haven’t seen him all summer, and he hasn’t returned any of my owls.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t understand how to use owl post,” Rowan said. “He’s muggleborn, after all.”

“Or maybe the owls just terrify him; you know how he gets,” Penny added.

Jennie sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I wish I knew how to use one of those telly-pones.”

“Next summer I’ll show you how,” Penny promised.

They talked about everything and nothing for the rest of the ride, ripping into the sweets from the trolley, and Jennie felt truly relaxed for the first time since she’d stepped off the train at the end of the last year.

Professor Dumbledore stood up to give his Start-Of-Term speech. Jennie couldn’t help herself from craning at the Gryffindor table to try to find Ben, but she couldn’t see him.

“Welcome to our new first-year students!” Dumbledore said grandly, spreading his arms. “For all you returning students, welcome back! Focus on your studies, make time for your friends, but above all else--” and he suddenly grew very serious-- “be careful as you journey about the castle.”

Jennie exchanged an unsettled look with her friends. He hadn’t said that last year.

“If you see anything odd that isn’t the normal Hogwarts sort of oddity, do not hesitate to tell a professor,” he continued. “Every year is a surprising year at Hogwarts, but something tells me this year holds more surprises than most.

“But enough of my grand proclamations and ominous warnings. Please enjoy the feast.”

“Well that isn’t worrying,” Rowan said sarcastically.

“So much for a quiet year.” Jennie sighed. “And I still don’t see Ben.”

Penny frowned, surveying the hall. “He’s not sitting with Jae or Charlie.”

“Maybe we should ask around, see if anyone’s seen him.” Jennie crammed a forkful of chicken into her mouth and stood.

Talking to the professors revealed nothing good. Hagrid claimed to have seen him wandering around the Forbidden Forest, and Dumbledore simply said he and Ben had ‘things to discuss’, whatever that meant.

“None of the professors know where he is,” Jennie reported, dropping back into her seat.

“I asked the prefects and none of them know,” Rowan said.

“Charlie hasn’t seen him. Jae mentioned seeing him get into a carriage to go up to the castle, so we at least know he’s  _ here _ ,” Penny said.

“Maybe I’ll check with Professor McGonagall after the feast,” Jennie mused. “She’s his head of house, so she’ll know what to do.”

Professor McGonagall was in the Courtyard when Jennie finally managed to track her down. Shaking away flashbacks of her conversation with Dumbledore the previous year, Jennie approached her. “Ben Copper is missing, Professor McGonagall. Can you help me find him?”

“Did you see Mr Copper on the Hogwarts Express?” she asked.

“No, but Jae Kim said he saw him get into a carriage to go up to the castle.”

“Had you noticed him behaving strangely at the end of last year?”

“No. I mean, Ben has always been a bit odd, but he wasn’t acting any stranger than usual. He actually seemed happier than normal when I talked to him after we got our exam results.”

Professor McGonagall looked down at her sternly. “It’s unclear what damage was done when you made your ill-advised trip to the room filled with cursed ice.” Jennie looked at her feet. “That ice has been known to have strange effects on students. Did you find anything in that room? Any clue or warning about potential threats beyond the room itself? I understand your reckless pursuit of the rumoured Cursed Vaults, given you brother’s unfortunate circumstances, but this is not just about you. This could not only affect Mr Copper’s well-being, but all of Hogwarts. It’s critical that you be honest, Miss Crewute.”

“There was a coded message on the wall. Rowan managed to decrypt it over the summer. It said ‘the Ice Knight stands guard by the Vanished Stairs’.”

McGonagall made a thoughtful noise. “I will share this information with the Headmaster.” She shook her head. “Unlike last time, we will hope that the ice remains in that room.”

“Last time?” She thought she knew what McGonagall was talking about, but playing dumb might be the best way to learn more.

She refocused on Jennie. “It’s not important.” Jennie almost wanted to protest, but kept her mouth shut. “What’s important is that you search all of Mr Copper’s known hiding places for clues to his whereabouts. The faculty will most likely find him first, but any assistance is welcome to ensure that he’s found as quickly as possible. Report back to me if you do find him. I would like to know he’s safe.”

“Thank you, Professor McGonagall,” Jennie said, relieved to know someone experienced was on top of it.

“Good luck,” the woman said, and then left her standing in the courtyard. Jennie stared up at the darkened sky.

“So much for a quiet year,” she said softly.

  
  


Rowan and Penny were waiting in the Common Room. “So, what’d she say?”

“The professors are looking for him. McGonagall said the cursed ice could be involved.” Jennie dropped into an armchair, but almost immediately sprang back up and started pacing. “She said it had strange effects on people.”

“But shouldn’t it have had an effect on all of us?” Penny asked.

Rowan shook her head. “It could have affected everyone differently.”

Jennie tugged anxiously on her bangs. “She said we should search all of his known hiding places for clues, but I don’t know where he’d be except Gryffindor Tower, and we can’t search there.”

“The Artifact Room,” Rowan supplied. “He’s always hanging around there.”

“Rowan you’re  _ brilliant _ ,” Jennie enthused, finally halting. “I’ll go search right away--”

“Jennie, it’s late. We’ll get in trouble,” Penny said.

“But we can’t wait. We have to find Ben as quick as we can!”

“The professors are working on it,” Rowan said. “We can leave it to them, for tonight anyway.”

Jennie laughed in a way that almost sounded like a sob. “No, no I can’t. Don’t you see? The ice was the cause of all this and-- I’m the cause of the ice.”

“No you’re not, Jennie.” Penny tried to reassure her. “The ice just started showing up, it wasn’t your fault.”

“But it was Jacob’s fault last time, and I had that vision, and-- and it  _ can’t _ be a coincidence that the ice pops up the  _ exact _ year I start school.” She was pacing again, popping her knuckles methodically. “And he wouldn’t even have been near the ice if I hadn’t convinced him to come.”

“Jennie we don’t know the ice caused any of this--”

“No, but it was McGonagall’s theory, and I’m inclined to believe her. She mentioned a ‘last time’, so she’s done it before. It’s--” she shook her head. “I did this to him.”

“Jennie,  _ no _ ,” Penny said firmly. “Stop it. He agreed to help you, and at no point did you force him into coming.”

“But what if I accidentally guilt tripped him?” She buried her hands in her hair again, nails digging into her scalp. “Neither of you were there when I asked him to come, what if I said something that made him feel like he couldn’t say no?”

“You wouldn’t--”

“But what if I  _ did _ ?” She stopped dead. “I’m sorry, guys, but-- I can’t wait on this.”

She made for the barrels.

“Well, fine, but you’re not going on your own,” Rowan said. “I’m coming with you.”

“Me too,” Penny said.

“If we get caught, you’ll get in trouble,” Jennie said.

“I’m not going to make you go back to the Artifact Room on your own. What if you get another vision and knock yourself out on the cupboard?” Rowan joked.

“And besides, they’ll probably just take a few house points away,” Penny said. “We can just say you were really worried about Ben. The only people who could fault you for that are Snape and Filch, and they’re not patrolling tonight.”

Jennie didn’t bother asking how she knew. “If you’re sure,” she said heavily.

“And don’t think for a second you guilted us into it,” Rowan said, walking over to ruffle her bangs.

Jennie half smiled. “I wasn’t--”

“Yes you were.”

“Yeah. . .”

“Come on,” Penny said, linking their arms. “Let’s go find Ben.”

_ Now _ she smiled, and even though she thought she might cry, she’d never loved her friends more. “What did I do to deserve you guys?”

“Hon, you didn’t need to do anything,” Penny said, and tugged her out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yea i name dropped, and what of it?
> 
> look it's just beyond improbable that they could go any amount of years without at least being semi-aware of the later characters presence, especially since THEY'RE FRIENDS WITH PENNY; SHE DOESN'T JUST GO AWAY _**JAM CITY**_
> 
> anyway apparently i have more self control than i thought since it's been like 10 days since the last update. did i have a schedule on this one? i don't remember.
> 
> but i digress.
> 
> thanks for your comments i live for the external validation!! ily have a great day


	7. maybe r stands for ‘really bad news’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jennie worries. i do namedropping.
> 
> PENNY DOESN'T JUST VANISH.
> 
> Tonks joined your party!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey wow pals time's been passing haha how crazy is that?
> 
> anyway. my bad! been busy. here you go.

The good news: she didn’t have another vision. The bad news: they didn’t find Ben. The weird news: they found a clue.

“Okay, I deciphered the message,” Rowan said, dropping onto the bench next to her. “And you’re not going to believe it-- I had to triple check with the cipher book.”

“What does it say?” Penny asked.

“ ‘Your next instructions have been Transfigured into a Black Quill and hidden in the Slytherin Common Room. Failure to follow your instructions will result in severe punishment. -R’.”

“ ‘R’?” Jennie wondered, stabbing a fork into her food. “Who’s R?”

“I’ve been wondering the same thing.” Rowan piled some beets onto her plate. “Felix Rosier? Rubeus Hagrid?  _ Ar _ gus Filch?”

“Not Hagrid, he’s too sweet,” Jennie defended immediately.

“No,” Rowan agreed, “and I can’t imagine Filch writing a note like this. The only one who even  _ might  _ have is Felix Rosier.”

“He wouldn’t,” Penny said. “Felix is a lot of things, but he’s very straightlaced and straightforward. This isn’t his style.”

“I guess we should find that quill,” Jennie said. “But how are we going to get into the Slytherin Common Room?”

“I suppose I could call in a favor or two,” Penny said mysteriously.

“We’ll have to learn  _ Reparifarge _ to get the instructions,” Rowan said.

“Lucky for us, we’re learning that later this week.” Jennie shifted in her seat, already antsy. “Maybe we’ll be able to pull this off rather quickly, knock on wood.”

“Don’t you dare jinx it,” Rowan threatened, knocking on the table.

“We’ll have to be careful,” Penny said. “Whoever wrote this note sounds dangerous.”

“All the more reason to move even faster.”

  
  


“Alright, what do we have?” Jennie asked, settling onto the couch next to Rowan.

“Barnaby can let us in, but he’ll be in big trouble if he’s seen doing it,” Penny said.

“We can use  _ reducio _ and  _ engorgio _ to sneak you in and out of the Common Room,” Rowan said. “And there’s that big Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match soon that’ll ensure there aren’t any Slytherins in the Common Room.”

“What about their prefect, though? Gryffindor has a reputation of pranking them. He might come back to make sure they aren’t doing anything to the entrance,” Penny said.

“Leave him to me. I have a few tricks up my sleeve,” Jennie said, grinning.

“Oh, do you have a couple favors to pull too?” Rowan teased.

“No,” Jennie said, “but I might know a guy.”

She found the guy less than ten minutes later.

Nymphadora Tonks beamed at her. “You’re asking me to prank Slytherins for a noble cause?”

“It could help us find Ben,” Jennie reiterated. “Can you do it?”

“Can I do it?” Tonks snorted. “Of course I can do it. Jae mentioned he just got a bunch of Dungbombs. Imagine what chaos I could cause with a couple of those!” Her eyes shone just thinking about it.

Jennie breathed out in relief. “Thank you so much, Tonks. I owe you one.”

“Oh wow, Jennie Crewute owes me a debt?” Tonks teased. “I’ll have to cash in on that sometime.”

She rolled her eyes with a bit of a grin. “Stop it, I’ve owed you for longer than that. You haven’t turned me in yet for being out of bed all the time.”

“Maybe I should. You think if I asked they’d put a bounty on your head?”

“Now  _ that’s _ a moneymaking scheme. I’d turn  _ myself _ in.”

“You better not,” Tonks said. “How else am I going to fund my pranking empire? Contraband goods don’t come cheap you know.”

“You need any help buying the Dungbombs?” Jennie asked, already reaching for her pocket.

Tonks waved her off. “Nah, I got it.” She stared into the space above Jennie’s shoulder, eyes narrowed like she was calculating. “If I use a couple Dungbombs in about the third quarter of the match, it should keep the Slytherins occupied for some ten or fifteen minutes longer. It’s not much time.”

“It’ll be enough,” Jennie said. “Thanks again, Tonks.”

“If it helps find Ben,” she said. “Poor guy. Hope he’s okay.”

“Yeah,” Jennie said, with a half smile. “Me too.”

Tonks clapped her on the shoulder. “Let me know if you find him, yeah? Or if you need any more help.”

“I will. See you around.”

“See ya!”

  
  


Barnaby Lee was noticeably jumpy as he walked out the door to the Slytherin Common Room. Jennie and Rowan slipped in under his heels. Jennie saluted at Penny as soon as they’d crossed the threshold, and she nodded to Barnaby. He pulled his heel out of the entrance, allowing the wall to brick itself back into place.

“Let’s find that quill,” Jennie whispered.

Rowan stared across the grand room, with its huge windows at the far end. “So they live under the lake,” she said. “That explains why they’re so grumpy all the time.”

Jennie elbowed her. “Oh come on, it’s a better view than the Hufflepuff Common Room’s got.”

“Now that’s treason.”

Jennie rolled her eyes. “Come on.  _ Engorgio! _ ”

Rowan cast the spell too, and they got to work.

“Now, if I were a black quill, where would I hide?” Rowan mumbled, picking up a couch cushion.

“I wish we knew the Summoning Charm,” Jennie said, getting on her knees to look beneath a stool.

“If R wanted Ben to find it I’m sure they put it somewhere obvious,” Rowan reasoned.

Jennie went very still. “Wait, if Ben found it, then would it even--”

“Found it!”

Jennie hurried over. “ _ Repar _ \--”

“Not yet!” Rowan said hastily. “Let’s leave before we get caught!”

They made for the door. Unfortunately, Jennie’s luck was abysmal, and no sooner had they put one foot outside the door that they saw none other than Professor Snape, dragging Tonks by the elbow and looking furious.

“I guess we should’ve had Penny keep a lookout after all,” Rowan mumbled.

“Miss Crewute, Miss Khanna, what is the meaning of this?” he snapped.

“We, um,” Jennie said eloquently.

“I returned to punish this Hufflepuff for disruption in the stands, and I find  _ you _ leaving my Common Room, which you know you are forbidden to enter,” he seethed. “You have  _ one _ opportunity to explain your reprehensible behavior, and  _ do not _ attempt to deceive me.”

“I was trying to find Ben,” Jennie said. “There was a note in the Artifact Room--it had to be for Ben, he’s the only one who ever goes in there--with instructions to find a secret message in the Slytherin Common Room.”

“Oh, yes? And who wrote this supposed note?” Snape asked. looking entirely unimpressed.

“They only signed it as R,” she said. She was about to dive into a lengthy rant on how she knew her actions were misguided etc. etc. using Snape’s favorite buzzwords when insulting her in class, but his face noticeably tightened and she stopped herself.

“The letter R?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said, fighting to keep her curiosity under control.

“What else did this note say?”

“ ‘Failure to follow your instructions will result in severe punishment’,” Jennie quoted easily (the words of the threat against her friend echoed in her head with everything she did to save him; a reminder of where she went wrong and what she could never allow to stand).

Snape released his hold on Tonks elbow. “Leave,” he snapped. “All of you.”

Jennie flinched. “Huh?”

“If either of you ever approach the Slytherin Common Room again, I will give Mr Filch permission to reinstate his most painful punishments,” Snape snapped, and then swept away with a flick of his cloak.

Tonks stared wide eyed at his retreating back. “ _ Blimey _ ,” she said appreciatively. “Whoever this ‘R’ is, they must be bad news to get Snape so riled up.”

“Oh no,” Jennie sighed. “And I thought it couldn’t get any worse.”

“Cheer up, Jennie, we’ve got the quill,” Rowan said, holding out the object in question. “We’re one step closer to finding him now.”

Tonks looked at it curiously. “That’s what all this was about? Somebody’s quill?”

“Not just a quill,” Jennie said, and then glanced along the corridor. “Come on, we don’t want to be here if Rosier finishes up early at the match. One close call was bad enough.”

They retreated to the Hufflepuff Common Room, where Penny was waiting anxiously on the couch. She sprang up. “How’d it go?”

“Hang on, we’ll debrief in the dorm.” Jennie tugged her gently by the elbow. They slipped inside, and she breathed out in relief to see Chiara was absent (she wasn’t sure now was the right time to include their other roommate in her Cursed Vault shenanigans).

“So?” Penny asked impatiently, sitting on her trunk.

“We got it!” Rowan crowed, holding it out.

“Well come on, cast  _ reparifarge _ !” Penny encouraged. Rowan set the quill on the floor in the middle of them, and Jennie drew her wand.

“ _ Reparifarge _ !”

The quill shimmered and turned into another note. Tonks snatched it up. She wrinkled her nose. “It’s just gibberish; are you sure you did the spell right?”

Rowan leaned over Tonks’s shoulder. “No, it’s ciphertext; the same cipher as last time. May I?” Tonks handed it over. Rowan read aloud, pausing every so often to mouth a few words, face scrunched up in concentration. “ ‘Proceed to the farthest corridor at the east end of the fifth floor. Transfigure this scroll back into a Black Quill, and return it to the Slytherin Common Room. Failure to follow your instructions will result in severe punishment. -R.’ ”

“Isn’t that the same corridor with the icy room we broke into?” Penny asked.

“You guys were breaking and entering and didn’t invite me?” Tonks said.

“This isn’t good,” Jennie said, feeling sick to her stomach.

“Why would he have to put the quill back?” Rowan asked.

“Maybe R thought he couldn’t do it,” Tonks said. “So they had him replace the instructions for their next victim.”

“This isn’t good,” Jennie repeated, the feeling only worsening.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Penny said, frowning.

“Dumbledore said at the beginning of term to tell a professor if we found anything odd,” Rowan said. “Should we really explore the corridor?”

“If Ben’s there then we have to--  _ I  _ have to.” Jennie leapt to her feet, the awful feeling just growing with every passing second. “Rowan, you should find Professor McGonagall and tell her. I’m gonna go right for the corridor.”

“Tonks, go with her,” Penny said. “I’ll help Rowan.”

Tonks jumped up too, grinning. “This is exciting. Why didn’t you loop me in sooner?”

“Just wait,” Jennie said miserably. “I’m sure it’ll get worse.”

They gunned it for the corridor.

  
  


“McGonagall’s already here!” Tonks hissed. Jennie dragged her behind a chunk of ice, heart hammering. The professor was so wrapped up in whatever she was doing, she didn’t seem to notice.

“This is  _ bad _ \-- the ice hadn’t spread this far last time we were here. It was just in that room, it wasn’t all the way over here,” Jennie said, staring in horror at the cursed ice. “Careful not to touch it!” she said quickly as Tonks reached out in fascination.

“I’m so. . . so c-c-c-cold,” a voice moaned down the hall. Jennie felt like she’d just been struck.

“Ben?” Tonks whispered. They peered around the sides of the crystal.

Ben was encased up to the neck in the ice. Jennie had to bite down on her fist to avoid making a sound. She drew back seeing Snape standing with McGonagall, staring at Ben with something like disdain.

“Obviously,” Snape drawled.

“ _ Flipendo _ !” McGonagall flicked her wand. A few bits of ice chipped away, but otherwise not much happened. She stepped back. “The Knockback Jinx always shattered the cursed ice before, but it seems to have become impervious.”

“Incendio would melt it away,” Snape said.

“Along with his flesh.”

“I never said he would survive.”

McGonagall sighed. “The cursed ice continues to spread,” she said. “Someone has clearly been tampering with the Cursed Vaults.”

“It would be helpful if our Headmaster were at Hogwarts, instead of searching elsewhere for answers.”

“We don’t need Dumbledore to safely free Mr Copper,” McGonagall snapped. “We will cast  _ incendio _ together, but target the ice farthest from the boy’s body. Be  _ careful _ , Severus.”

Tonks tugged Jennie’s arm. “Come on, let’s go.”

“But I have to make sure Ben’s--”

“He’s with the professors now, he’ll be safe,” Tonks said. “McGonagall, at least, is pretty good at her job. We’ve got to tell Penny and Rowan.”

Jennie didn’t want to leave until she knew Ben was safe, but she let Tonks pull her away anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello. i have the new spoiler for the game. i would like to let y'all know now that the event everyone's yelling about is not the kind of story i need to hear nor the kind of story i want to write. while i don't know the situation nor the implications, i'd like to say now, **jennie's story will not comply with the recent twist**
> 
> i will let you know if that fact changes, but i don't think it will. not on my fucking watch.
> 
> thanks for reading!


	8. winter was always my least favorite season

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jennie and co go look at a vault. things go wrong and the hospital wing gains its second visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey pals life's been hectic wash your hands for the full 20 seconds, you could sing the chorus of Africa it's about that long
> 
> and don't buy out the toilet paper for chrissake you're better than that
> 
> anyway enjoy

It took a full day for Ben to be well enough for visitors, but Merlin knew Jennie was right there by his bedside the moment she was allowed.

“Oh  _ Merlin _ Ben I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault,” she said in a rush, trying extremely hard not to cry. “I shouldn’t have-- I put you in danger, I’m so sorry.”

“. . . Hello to you too.”

She swiped angrily at her eyes and giggled. “Right. Hello.” She shook her head. “Sorry, I’ve been sitting on that since-- well, the welcome feast.”

“She’s been distraught over it,” Penny said, ignoring Jennie’s betrayed look. “How are you feeling, Ben?”

“Cold. Tired. Sore. Not that different from usual, to be honest.” He looked miserable.

“What were you doing in that Icy Corridor?” Rowan asked. “How’d you get trapped in the ice?”

“I don’t remember,” he said sadly. “I can hardly remember anything at all. Madam Pomfrey thinks it has something to do with the ice.”

“McGonagall said something like that too,” Rowan said. “That the ice has strange effects on students.”

Jennie buried her face in her hands. “I shouldn’t have made you come last year; I just put you in danger. I’m so sorry, it’s--”

“Has she been like this all year?” Ben asked, and she peeked out from between her fingers to see him staring at their friends in helpless bewilderment.

“Worse,” Rowan supplied.

“Like I said,” Penny said, “distraught.” She shook her head. “You should’ve seen it. McGonagall suggested we search your known hiding places for clues, and even though it was past midnight there was nothing we could do to convince her not to go right up to the Artifact Room and tear the room apart.”

“Speaking of,” Rowan added. “We found a letter--to you, most likely--in the Artifact Room that lead to another, which lead to the corridor. Know anything about that?”

“I’m sorry,” Ben said. “I just don’t remember. . .”

“You must remember something,” Rowan pressed. “Anything can help us understand what happened.”

Ben seemed agitated. “I don’t--”

Madam Pomfrey came over. “That’s enough for today, you three. Mr Copper needs his rest.”

Rowan seemed disappointed, but stepped back. Jennie pushed away from the bed. “Get well soon, yeah? I miss seeing you in Charms.”

He didn’t say anything, but he sort of smiled, and that was fine with her. She let Madam Pomfrey shoo her out of the Hospital Wing.

“So?” Tonks asked, waiting outside.

“He doesn’t remember anything,” Rowan reported.

Penny elbowed her. “He’s okay,” she said.

“I think he’s hiding something.”

Tonks looked like a kid at Christmas. “Another mystery?”

Jennie stared at Rowan. “Seriously?”

“I’ve always felt like he knew more than he was telling,” Rowan admitted. “Like he was keeping secrets. He might just be afraid of whoever sent those instructions, or he might be trying to protect us.”

“I believe him,” Jennie insisted. “It might be strange, but we have from two sources that the ice might’ve affected his memory.”

Rowan half sighed. “Jennie, I know you feel guilty about what happened, but I think you’re putting a bit too much stock in the ice.”

“Well we don’t know anything about what the ice does,” she defended. “It’s entirely possible!”

“It’s possible for him to be faking it, too.”

“ _ Guys _ .” Penny stepped in. “You’re just going in circles; we’ll never get anywhere like this.”

Jennie pulled in a breath, and then another. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Rowan.”

“It’s okay.” Rowan looked like she was taking a steadying breath of her own. “I’m sorry too.”

“Maybe if we search the corridor we’ll find some clues,” Tonks suggested. “After all, R must have meant for Ben to find something. Maybe it’s still there.”

  
  


It wasn’t. But they did manage to find something else: a false wall. Of course, they needed to learn  _ revelio  _ before they could go through it, but it was a start; a clue.

McGonagall had offered a private lesson in their first Transfiguration lesson, and Jennie took advantage of that. She had to prove herself by attending lessons and doing her best, but the time spent studying was a good way to get her mental gears to stop griding.

She had a choice.

She’d learn  _ revelio _ and return to the corridor, that much was certain, but would she bring her friends? She didn’t want to put her friends into any more danger; if she put another person into the Hospital Wing she didn’t think she’d ever forgive herself.

No, she decided. She’d go alone. She couldn’t put them in danger like that.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Rowan asked, sitting up in bed and crossing her arms.

“I can’t sleep,” she whispered. “I’m gonna go study transfiguration in the Common Room.”

Penny snorted. “Rubbish. You’re going to the corridor, aren’t you?”

“Without us,” Tonks added.

“No!” she defended. “I wasn’t--”

“You were,” Rowan said, sliding her feet into her slippers. “And we aren’t about to let you go without us.”

“Guys--” she protested, but they were already up. She sighed. “Okay, fine. But so help me, if any of you get hurt!”

“We’ll be careful,” Penny said. “Come on.”

In the corridor, she cast the spell. The wall faded away, revealing a flight of stairs leading upwards. Fog spilled down the stairs like water, and an eerie golden light shone at the top.

“ _ Wicked _ ,” Tonks said.

“It’s the staircase from my vision,” Jennie said, almost awed.

“And probably the same as the message,” Rowan said.

“Where do you think it leads?” Penny asked.

“One way to find out.” Jennie lit her wand. “Stay here.”

Tonks snorted. “As if.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t tell a professor about this?” Rowan asked. “It’s a whole new unexplored section of Hogwarts after all.”

“If there’s a Cursed Vault up there, it could be my only shot at finding my brother. If a professor gets there first, I’ll never see it.” She shook her head. “I’ve got to go.”

Rowan squared her shoulders. “Then I’m going too.”

“Me three,” Penny added.

Jennie knew better than to argue by now. “Fine. Stay behind me.”

The staircase lead to a long hallway lit by torches. Frost spread across the base of the statues lining the wall, and the blue and red carpet under their feet crackled with every step. The end of the hallway was covered in a thick fog.

“This is amazing,” Penny said.

“And cold,” Rowan added, visibly shivering in her pajamas. “Unnaturally c-c-cold.”

“It has to lead to one of the Cursed Vaults,” Jennie said. “Rowan, you’re  _ sure _ you don’t want to head back down?”

“Of course not,” she said. “A-as long as we’re quick.”

Jennie shrugged off the jacket she’d thrown over her pajamas, handing it over. “Here, I’ve got heavier pajamas.”

It was a testament to just how cold she was that Rowan took the jacket without complaining.

“Look there, on the floor,” Tonks said, pointing.

“Footprints,” Penny said. “Somebody’s been here recently.”

“Ben?” Rowan suggested.

“Or Merula.” Jennie snorted. “Or who knows, most likely nobody’s touched this place since my brother, they could be his.”

“We can’t go through the mist,” Rowan said. “It’s freezing.”

“ _ Flipendo _ ,” Jennie said experimentally, flicking her wand. The mist dissipated. She beamed. “I wasn’t sure that would work.”

“Lucky it did,” Tonks said, staring up in awe. “Look at that!”

“It sure looks like a Cursed Vault,” Penny said.

The end of the hallway was coated in a layer of ice so thick it hid the color of the material, leaving everything an icy blue. A large door towered over them, blocked by a large snowflake. Jennie stepped forward, hearing her friends trail behind her.

“It’s amazing,” Rowan said.

“Stay back,” Jennie said. “I’m going to try to open it.”

“Shouldn’t we let a professor look at it first?”

“I can’t. I have to find my brother.” She turned around and looked at her friends. “I’m honored you want to face this with me, but I don’t want any of you to get hurt. Please, stay back.”

Tonks shook her head, planting her feet. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“I’m with you,” Rowan said, hefting her wand. Penny already had a potion in hand.

Jennie sighed. “Why am I not surprised?” But some part of her was so pleased to see them willing to stay by her side.

She turned back to the vault, holding her wand in her left hand and reaching out with the right. Gingerly, she touched the snowflake.

\--and stumbled back as a force like someone taking an axe to her forehead cleaved her head in half, images flashing through her head faster and faster  _ two rooms, one dark and stocked with books and the other cluttered with a door outlined in chalk, a voice so cold yet so familiar and so so unsettling laughing laughing  _ **_laughing_ ** \--

“Jennie!”

She shook herself like a dog. “Vision-- I had another vision,” she said, clutching her head. She quickly described what she’d seen, leaving out the laughter (something about it struck too deep and she couldn’t do it).

“We should go,” Rowan said, skittish. “This place--”

With a sound like a hiss, the snowflake shot a bolt of frost, narrowly missing Penny’s shoulder.

“Oh no,” Penny said, already backing away.

“Run!” Tonks yelled.

The snowflake shot another bolt of frost. Jennie ducked, feeling the blast of cold as it ghosted over her head. “Jennie!” Rowan yelped. The magic swirled in the center of the snowflake, winding up for another shot.

“Rowan look out!” she cried, but it was too late. The blast hit by Rowan’s feet and blew her backwards down the stairs. She didn’t get up.

“Oh Merlin oh no--” Jennie bolted down the steps, kneeling beside her. “Rowan? Rowan are you okay?!”

“Grab her feet,” Penny ordered, “we’ve got to get her out of here!”

Tonks drew the snowflake’s fire until they were out of range.

  
  


It was everything she’d been afraid of and more. It was worse than anything she’d imagined. She sprinted for the Hospital Wing the second she got word that Rowan was awake.

“Don’t even start,” Rowan said weakly before she could get a word out. “You gave me ample opportunities to turn back; you didn’t do this.”

“I may as well have,” she said.

“Don’t beat yourself up,” Rowan said. “Look at me, I’m fit as a fiddle! If that fiddle got run over by the Knight Bus, anyway.”

Jennie tried to laugh, but it came out more like a sob.

“Don’t you have Potions class in a couple minutes?” Rowan asked. “Because the best way you could honor my memory is to go to all your classes and get my homework.”

She snorted weakly. “Honor your memory? You’re not dead.”

“No, but wouldn’t that be cool? I could replace Professor Binns,” Rowan joked. “I’ll be the youngest  _ and _ the oldest Hogwarts professor.”

“Now that would be something else,” Jennie said. She sighed. “Anyway I’m not too enthused with the idea of Potions class. Last time Merula planted stolen potions ingredients in our dorm and tried to frame me for stealing them. I thought she’d been rather quiet recently.”

“I miss one class and Merula’s back to her old tricks.” Rowan sighed. “Well I’ll be back on my feet any minute. I’ll be your knight in shining armor again, just you wait.” She shifted. “But, speaking of knights. . .”

“You’re not going near that door again,” Jennie said. “No way.”

Rowan relaxed into her pillow. “I thought you’d say that.” She sighed. “Turns out, you were right. I should’ve stayed back. I’m much better at research and planning.”

“Now if only I could convince Penny and Tonks,” Jennie said ruefully.

“Just because I don’t want to go doesn’t mean I think you should go alone,” Rowan chided. “You’ll need someone powerful to get into that vault.”

“Oh yeah? I hope you don’t mean Merula.”

Rowan snorted. “Her? Of course not. I’ll have to look over my list, but I’ll get back to you once I figure it out. In the meantime--” she checked the clock on the wall-- “Snape will skin you alive if you’re late.”

Jennie sighed. “You’re right. I’ll come back after class, alright?”

“No hurry,” Rowan said. “Don’t forget my homework!”

“You know I wouldn’t.” She waved as she hefted her bookbag and sprinted out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **good news:** bill weasley gets introduced next chapter
> 
>  **meh news:** next two chapters cover the first christmas quest (but tie it into the main arcs i swear it's not just a complete tonal shift for christmas giving; jennie doesn't just forget the vaults are a thing that's happening)
> 
>  **bad news:** tulip mentioned in third year that she knew merula in a previous year. the game did not mention this. i did not know this. there were no hints. now it's up to ME to make that detail make sense and/or reconcile it. updates may slow until i get through third year and understand the implications of their relationship a little better
> 
> at bare minimum: we're getting through second year and there will be a semi-guaranteed two week period with no update. i'm sure all three of you are devastated.
> 
> also, to reiterate: **THIS STORY WILL NOT COMPLY WITH THE RECENT HPHM TWIST**

**Author's Note:**

> hey thanks for reading this bs, i know there's a lot of rewrites out there so you taking a chance on another one is rly appreciated
> 
> i'll be updating as i progress through the game, which may take awhile as each chapter is composed of about 1-3 weeks of progress in the game, depending on how busy i am
> 
> as of 1/25/2020 i have 8 chapters in the backlog (each of a similar length) which i can post once a week if i see an interest in hearing more from Jennie. after that, we'll all have to wait


End file.
